Japanese DJ, designer, and entrepreneur Tomoaki Nagao, more popularly known as Nigo, launched A Bathing Ape, also known as BAPE, in 1993, a streetwear brand that pulls inspiration from the Harajuku lifestyle. Despite being a fashion label first, it's hard to dispute BAPE's influence in streetwear culture in lifestyle; in the early months of its existence, Nigo worked on a tight budget and focused on making and selling a few shirts at a time. Founding the formula for exclusivity due to its scarcity, its popularity in the public rose, and slowly but surely BAPE's rise to the top made it a rare commodity that made it all the more desirable to obtain.